This article shows to how correctly install Cisco VPN Client (32 & 64 bit) on Windows 10 (32 & 64 bit) using simple steps, overcome the ‘This app can’t run on this PC’ installation error, plus fix the Reason 442: Failed to enable Virtual Adapter error message. The article applies to New Windows 10 installations or Upgrades from earlier Windows versions and all versions before or after Windows 10 build 1511. We also include all required VPN files directly downloadable from Firewall.cx to save time and trouble from broken 3rd-party links.

To simplify the article and help users quickly find what they are after, we’ve broken it into the following two sections:

How to Install Cisco VPN client on Windows 10 (clean installation or upgrade from previous Windows), including Windows 10 build prior or after build 1511.

The instructions below are for new or clean Windows 10 installations. Users who just upgraded to Windows 10 from an earlier Windows version, will need to first uninstall their SonicWALL VPN Client & Cisco VPN client, then proceed with the instructions below.

Download and install the SonicWALL Global VPN Client from Firewall.cx’s Cisco Tools & Applications section. This is required so that the DNE Lightweight filter network client is installed on your workstation. You can later on remove the SonicWall Global Client.

Note: If you receive the Windows message “This app can’t run on this PC”, go to the folder where the Cisco VPN client was extracted and run the “vpnclient_setup.msi” file. If you don’t remember where the file was extracted, execute the downloaded file again and select an extraction path e.g c:\temp\ciscovpn\ so you know where to look for it.

Figure 2. Overcoming the “Cisco VPN Client doesn’t work on this version of Windows” message

After successfully installing the Cisco VPN Client, you can uninstall the SonicWALL Global VPN Client to save system resources and stop it from running in the future, however ensure you leave all uninstall options to their default. This means leave unchecked the two options below during the uninstall process:

This completes the installation phase of the Cisco VPN client on Windows 10.

How to Fix Reason 442: Failed to Enable Virtual Adapter on Windows 10

When attempting to connect to a VPN gateway (router or firewall) using the Cisco VPN Client on Windows 10, it will fail to connect because of the following reason: Reason 442: Failed to Enable Virtual Adapter.